This invention concerns a supercompact rolling group. To be more exact, the invention concerns a rolling group with rolls supported at one end which has a conformation and mutual arrangement of the horizontal and vertical rolling units such as to make possible a considerable reduction of the overall sizes of the whole rolling group and also a better functional nature of the group as compared to known lay-outs.
The invention also concerns a rolling line which comprises one or more groups formed in this manner.
Conventional rolling lines are known which consist of several groups arranged in series so as to obtain a continuous rolling process.
Such groups in their turn can include one or more rolling units, which should be understood as being an assemblage formed substantially by a carrying casing, or portion of a casing, which holds a set of rolls with related means providing support and direct movement.
These rolling lines require considerable space for installation, especially owing to their great lengthwise extent. They therefore require a great deal of covered space consisting of the relative sheds.
This leads to drawbacks linked to the need to have vast areas on which buildings can be erected and also to have accessory plants which cover a considerable extent of ground and are therefore very burdensome and hard to control.
Moreover, the maintenance of conventional plants is also complicated by the considerable extent of the plants themselves.
Furthermore, it is often impossible in such plants to check all the units by eye at the same time.
Embodiments already exist which are intended to lessen the overall size of rolling lines by providing compact groups that combine in themselves several rolling units, both horizontal and vertical.
For instance, patent FR No. 1.456.709 is known and discloses a rolling mill which comprises several units with rolls supported at one end, the units being arranged on a common frame and inclined at 45.degree. with alternate orientations.
This cited patent is mainly intended to enable the rolls to be adjusted and driven in an improved manner and also to facilitate withdrawal of the rolls for maintenance.
Transmission of motion is obtained with two parallel shafts driven by one and the same motor, one of these shafts serving all the units which have an orientation perpendicular to such transmission.
Thus, in this patent the same number of bevel gear pairs is required as the number of rolling units so as to enable the motion of the parallel shafts to be taken by the units.
Patent FR No. 1.465.519 is also known and discloses a substantially analogous solution, the rolls of the units being inclined at 45.degree., the units themselves being arranged alternately, and the motion being transmitted to parallel shafts that drive the two groups of units, as in the patent cited previously.
Application Ser. No. 2.294.770 for a patent in France in the name of Pomini Farrel describes a cogging mill with alternate vertical and horizontal units. Transmission of motion to the various units is obtained by means of a long shaft stretching along the whole length of the rolling group and serving units that have to receive its motion.
Patent DE-OS-2.243.749 discloses an embodiment like that of the patent cited above.
As we have seen, all the foregoing embodiments make use of long transmission shafts with bevel gear pairs for the offtake of motion for the individual units served by such shafts.
In this way there is a bevel gear pair for each unit belonging to a group, however such unit may be oriented. This entails many drawbacks, among which are the following:
a great number of bevel gear pairs (one per unit), PA1 the bevel gear pairs are hard and burdensome to make, PA1 assembly has of necessity to be very accurate, PA1 bevel gear pairs are delicate and need precise maintenance and controls, and PA1 bevel gear pairs make a great deal of noise while working.